Trucking: Bidding on Contract, current company, faint of heart

Question
A fellow co-worker and I work for a company who does nothing but shuttle trailers and the contract is up for bid in one year. We would like to submit a bid but we don't know when or the whole process. We know we need to make up a company and all that goes with that, when do we apply for a loan? And how to make the company know that we're interested in bidding on the contract? And if any repercussions would there be if the company I work for now finds out we put in the bid and they turn us down to stay with the original company?  

Answer
Roger, shuttle trucking is not for the faint of heart.  It's a tough way to make a buck.  How big is the operation?  Is it seasonal?  if so will you be able to ramp capacity up and down to meet demand?  Will you be bidding against the big national players?  What you are proposing is risky.  Depending on how many other bidders there are you may have a very small chance of landing the contract.  If you get it you will need to perform to keep it, and if you loose and your current company finds out you will likely loose that job as well.  On the other hand if you are willing to risk your current jobs and are in a market where you can find another one, perhaps with the winning bidder, then it might be worth a shot.  If you bid you have the advantage of knowing how the shuttle works and you should have a handle on your costs. Don't bid below cost unless you want to run it for practice.  You will need to find out what licensing and insurance requirements the shipper has and get your company set up and qualified in advance of the bid.  Since this process could tip off your current employer it might be best to hire and attorney to set it up anomalously.  Best of luck.